Ball point pen



July 26, 1960 B. J. CRAIG BALL POINT PEN Filed Dec. 1, 1954 IN V EN TOR.

(all United States Patent BALL POINT PEN Burnie J. Craig, 1042 La Presa Drive, Pasadena, Calif. Filed Dec. 1, 1954, Ser. No. 472,416

2 Claims. (Cl. 120-4216) bers communicate with a common passage to the writing ball and such factory.

According tothe present invention the ink cartridge includes a plurality of ink chambers or reservoirs each devices have not proven entirely satisof which has a separate outlet opening onto the writing ball surface and there is no common outlet for the plurality of-ink chambers, as a consequence each chamber keeps a separate portion of the writing ball provided with a coating of ink.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a ballpoint pen with a plurality of ink bores, each of which communicates with a'separate part of the writing ball surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ink cartridge which includes an inner ball retaining member having independent and spaced ink channels therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ink cartridge having ink holding bores therein and having an inner member which is provided with peripheral grooves for conducting ink from the ink containing bores to a Writing ball.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a writing instrument embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale and showing portions of the cap in elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the p;

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Fig. cation;

Fig. 11 is an end view of the modification; and

F-ig. 12 is an elevation partly in section showing a modification which comprises a disposable pen.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the invention is shown as embodied in a ball point pen which 4 is a section taken on line 4-4, Fig. 2; 5 is a section taken on line 5-5, Fig. 8; 6 is a section taken on line 6-6, Fig. 8; 7 is a section taken on line 7-7, Fig. 8; 8 is a section showing the inner member of the 9 is a section showing a modification;

10 is a fragmentary section showing a modifi- Patented 'July 26, 1960 lCQ is indicated generally at 10. As shown, the pen includes a barrel 11 which is threaded as at 12 to a cap member 13. The pen includes a retaining clip 14 and push button 15. By means of a push button an ink cartridge, indicated generally at 16 may be advanced to the position shown in Fig. 2, so that the tip 17 with the writing ball 18 may be exposed for use.

The cartridge 16 includes a body having a shoulder 19 which is engaged by a spring 20. The spring also engages a shoulder 21 arranged in the pen barrel 11. When the push button 15 is moved inwardly while the tip 17 is advanced the spring 20 will retract the tip 17 Within the barrel. The detailed construction of the push button 15 operated mechanism forms no part of the present invention.

The cartridge 16, which is of the replaceable type consists of an inner tubular portion 22 and a tip portion indicated generally at 23. The tubular portion which is the source of ink storage is preferably made of plastic 'or metal and is of a size to slide in the pen cap and barrel. The member 22 is providedwith a plurality, here shown as three, of ink channels or bores 23' in which the ink is suitably placed.

The ink used in pens of this nature is a thick, viscous,

pulpy mass and the bores 23' which contain this ink are of such diameter that the ink has a capillary action therein and does not flow out when the writing tip is turned upwardly. The tubular portion 22 is provided with a forwardly projecting collar 24 in which a companion collar 25 on the tip member 23 is tightly arranged. The

tip member 23 is of decreasing wall thickness towards the tip 17. The extreme outer end of the tip member is cylindrical, as shown in Fig. 3, and the forward ehd is formed into a lip 26 which retains the ball 18 in place. ,The member 23 may be made of stainless steel, brass or plastic;

Within the tip portion 23 a ball seat member 30 is arranged. This ball seat member may be made of the same material as the portion 23 and as shown includes a cylindrical portion 31, a tapering portion 32 anda reduced cylindrical portion 33. The free end of the portion 33 has a seat 34 therein for holding the ball in place. The member 30 is provided with ink conducting channels or grooves 35shown as three in number-to correspond to the bores 23'. Centering means, as a lug, Fig. 2, correctly positions the members 22 and 30. The grooves 35 at the largest portion of the member 30 are relatively deep as shown at 35' in Fig. 5 and they gradually reduce so that in the portion 33 they have a size such as shown in Fig. 6, at 38. Adjacent the ball seat 34 the width of the grooves is lessened, as at 39, Fig. 7.

Each of the grooves 39 communicates with the ball seat 34 at a different location. The ball closes the outer ends of the grooves or channels 35. In other words there is a plurality of ink channels which supply a coating of ink to the ball. These channels being separate and independent they all feed ink as the ball rotates.

The grooves 35', 38 and 39 may be made by mills 35a, 35b and 350, or any other desired manner. There will be a slight upwardly facing shoulder at lines 6-6 and 7-7, Fig. 8, where the cutting of the larger mil-l ceases and the cutting of the lower mill starts. 'llhese shoulders do not, however, impair the slow flow of the viscous ink.

In Fig. 9, the groove 39 is omitted and a hole 40 extends to each of the grooves 38 to the area about the ball seat.

In Figs. 10 and 11, the end of the member 30 is provided with a cap 41 which may be made of stainless steel and which includes a ball seat 42 and grooves 43 similar to the grooves 39.

In Fig. 12 a disposable pen is shown in which the barrel parts 50 and 51 are the same inside as above described and which have a smooth exterior taper. The ink tubes 52 at the end remote from the ball tip 53 are surrounded by a cap 54 which is tightly pressed in place and which is provided with a chamber 55 with which the tubes 52 communicate and the chamber 55 is bled to the atmosphere through a hole 56.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have invented a novel ball point pen in which a plurality of separate channels, each of which independently supplies the writing ball with a coating.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a ball point pen, a barrel having a tapering front end with an aperture therein, a removable cartridge in said barrel, said cartridge including an inner portion and a tubular tip portion, said inner portion having a plurality of ink holding channels therein, said channels being spaced apart and being entirely out of communication with each other throughout their entire length and at their inner ends, said tubular tip portion including a writing tip projecting through said aperture, said writing tip having an inwardly directed ball retaining lip thereon, a ball seat member in said tubular tip portion, theouter wall of said ball seat member conforming to the inner wall of said tubular tip portion, said channels terminating at the upper end of said ball seat member, said ball seat member having asemi-spheric-al ball seat at the forward end thereof, a writing ball engaging .said ball seat, said lip holding said ball in place, said ball seat member having a plurality of longitudinally extending outwardly directed conduits therein, each of said conduits being aligned with one of said channels, said conduits being out of communication with each other, said tubular tip portion inner wall forming the outer wall of said conduits, each of said conduits opening into a diiferent area of the ball seat, said writing ball closing the lower end of each of said conduits.

2. In a ball point pen, a barrel having a tapering front end with an aperture therein, a removable cartridge in said barrel, said cartridge including an inner portion and a tubular tip portion, said portions abutting, said inner portion being cylindrical and having a plurality of ink holding channels therein, said channels being spaced apart and being out of communication with each other throughout their entire length and at their inner ends, said tubular tip portion including a writing tip projecting through said aperture, said writing tip having an inwardly directed ball retaining lip thereon, said tubular tip portion having a cylindrical upper end and a downwardly tapering intermediate portion which latter terminates in said writing tip, a ball seat member in said tubular tip portion, said ball seat member including a cylindrical upper portion, 'a tapering intermediate portion and a cylindrical lower portion, the outer wall of said retaining member conforming to the inner wall of said tubular tip portion, said channels terminating at the upper end of said ball seat member, means to prevent rotation of the ball seat member relative to said inner portion, said ball seat member having a semi-spherical ball seat at the forward end thereof, a writing ball engaging said ball seat, said lip holding said ball in place, said ball seat member having a plurality of longitudinallyextending, outwardly directed, conduits therein, said ball seat member conduits being aligned with said channels, said conduits being out of communication with each other, said tubular tip portion inner wall forming the outer wall of said conduits, said conduits being of decreasing cross sectional area'towards said ball, each of said conduits opening into a dilferent area of the ball seat, said writing ball closing the lower end of each of said conduits. Y

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED .STATES PATENTS Australia Sept. 16, 1952 

